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2015 San Diego bombings
San Diego Cancer Walk Marathon (San Diego Fremont General Hospital) | coordinates = | date = June 6, 2015 | time = 2:22-24 PM | timezone = | type = Bombings (3 total): (1 attack), (2 attacks), (1 attack) | fatalities = 2,500+ killed 1 attacker (suicide) | injuries = 3,500+ injured | victim = | perps = 10+ s | perp = | perpetrators= | perpetrator = | susperps = | susperp = Mexican government | weapons = , | numparts = | numpart = | dfens = | dfen = | footage = | motive = Retaliation against Bogota Agreement (suspected) }}The 2015 San Diego bombings, also referred to as the June 6 attacks, the 6/6 attacks, and Black Saturday, were three simultaneous, possibly related bombing incidents, that occurred when two trucks loaded with ammonium nitrate and other ingredients detonated in the parking garage underneath the , four cars loaded with s detonated in the parking lot of the San Diego Fremont General Hospital while the Cancer Walk Marathon was being held, and one truck loaded with ammonium nitrate crashed and then exploded in the lobby of the . Killing over 2,500 civilians and government officials, another estimated 2,500 were injured. Several dozen buildings surrounding the Grand Liberty Tower and Bank of Sierra Center were either destroyed or damaged. The single deadliest civilian attack in Sierran history since the La Paz Incident a year earlier, the attacks have allegedly been linked with the Mexican Social Republic which had recently undergone a led by against the Veracruzist government. These claims were made by the Sierran and Brazorian heads of government on June 7 following intelligence reports. Within 150 minutes of the bombings, the tower collapsed, sending debris everywhere within a mile-and-a-half radius. The Bank of Sierra Center suffered a similar fate, with the entire building collapsing almost instantaneously and many nearby buildings were destroyed or severely damaged by the initial blast and the subsequent debris. At the San Diego Fremont General Hospital, over 50 vehicles were instantly destroyed or sent ablaze with the hospital complex itself unaffected. Immediately following the attacks, the city of San Diego and surrounding cities in the province of Laguna was placed on while Prime Minister Steven Hong declared a state of national emergency. The Parliament, which was on , held a special session to convene and address the attacks the evening of the attacks. As of June 7, several federal investigative bodies including the Royal Intelligence Agency and the San Diego Police Department are investigating the attacks and searching for its perpetrators. The attacks have been declared acts of and preliminary evidence strongly suggests that the attacks were by the Mexican fascist government. 4 of the 11 known perpetrators/suspects have been detained as of June 7 with all of their names released. An ongoing for the 7 remaining known attackers has brought together intelligence agencies from Sierra, Brazoria, Wabash, and the United States together. The attacks were the primary casus belli for Sierra's ultimate decision for war in Operation Biting Dust on June 12, 2015. Bombings Three sites were bombed no more than thirty seconds between each other around 2:22 PM, suggesting that all three were coordinated and related. In all three cases, vehicles were the mediums used to carry out the bombings with the Grand Liberty Tower and Bank of Sierra Center being attacked with ammonium nitrate fertilizer bombs and the San Diego Fremont General Hospital with pressure cooker bombs. Grand Liberty Tower The first of the three explosions, initial reports suggest that two trucks loaded with ammonium nitrate fertilizer in , and , were parked in the building's underground parking lot within six hours of the attacks. Surveillance footage around the city showed two large delivery trucks heading towards the Grand Liberty Tower around noontime, implicating that the attacks occurred relatively soon following the parking. The trucks, which detonated at 2:22 PM, instantly tore through two layers of concrete and destroyed the first twelve levels of the building which included the line on the ground floor at India Avenue. The explosion caused a massive fire and immediately knocked the buildings and surrounding area's power-lines off, which inevitably led to the building's structural collapse two and a half hours later. Among the first to respond to the Tower's bombing were the San Diego fire and police departments who were already overwhelmed with reports of the other two attacks in the city. The attack instantly killed an estimated 250 individuals within the Grand Liberty Tower complex and another 450 were injured. Some 130 more pedestrians or drivers were killed just outside the building on India Avenue and West Broadway. Adjacent buildings and complexes including the and were also severely damaged, with the latter suffering up to 70% complete damage. The explosion left a 15-feet deep crater on West Broadway, damaging multiple gas and water pipelines, starting a fire independent from the one already burning on the building proper. A little less than a mile away, the Bank of Sierra Center was also attacked, at around the same time, sending debris back to the site of Grand Liberty Tower, causing more damage. Evacuation plans were complicated as the first twelve levels of the building were destroyed, making the upper twenty-two floors inaccessible by stairway. With the streets surrounding the building obstructed with debris, fire, and wreckage, firefighters had to send four helicopters at a time to bring survivors to safety. Eventually, before the tower collapsed, a helicopter arrived to the tower every other minute to rescue up to 8 individuals. Following the collapse of the Grand Liberty Tower, firefighters and police evacuated civilians from the area a three mile from the tower and the nearby Bank of Sierra Center. The nearby was closed and numerous detours were set up, taking the Plaza into account. The nearby museum and ship, the , which was less than half a mile away, was miraculously left unaffected by the blast, but was closed and it, alongside the San Diego Cruise Terminal were reopened and then converted into as a temporary relief center for victims. The ship was later closed again and was forced for the first time in 23 years, to sail to a safer location in the bay due to approaching fires. By 5 PM, the fires that started from both the Grand Liberty Tower bombs and the Bank of Sierra Center were contained. An active search-and-rescue party continued all throughout the night in search for any survivors and bodies at the site. Key federal officials including Prime Minister Steven Hong and King Smith II were made aware of the attacks within three minutes and later briefed half an hour after. City officials in San Diego including Mayor Stephanie Bailey were quickly evacuated from the City Council building which stood about half a mile between the Grand Liberty Tower and Bank of Sierra Center sites and relocated to a safer, undisclosed location. San Diego Fremont General Hospital Outside the San Diego Fremont General Hospital, four cars with pressure cooker bombs were parked in the lot of the hospital's west wing. The hospital, was hosting the city's 11th annual cancer awareness walk that day, with an attendance up to 3,000 participants and hundreds more spectators. The parking, which used a general admission system, allowed the four cars in within an hour of the bombing. At 2:23 PM, the cars were simultaneously detonated, setting off a chain reaction that resulted in up to 50 cars destroyed and a fire. The event itself, was held a block down from the parking lot but 22 people who were in the lot were killed immediately and 32 more were injured. Following the attacks, the walk was cancelled and volunteer workers were among the first to attend the wounded. Bank of Sierra Center The last of the three attacks, the Bank of Sierra Center was attacked when the driver of one truck loaded with ammonium nitrate fertilizer bombs rammed into the building's lobby. The initial crash destroyed the doors and severely damaged the front desk. At this time, the attack at Grand Liberty Tower had already been performed with debris hitting the center right before the bank itself was attacked. 10 seconds following the crash, the truck's explosives were ignited by a nearby assailant and promptly exploded with an estimated power equivalent to 4,000 pounds (2 tons) of . The explosion destroyed up to 2/3 of the building immediately, with damage as high up to the 20th floor of the 27-storied building. Shortly thereafter, the building collapsed due to structural failure and cloud of debris blanketed the streets below. A fire smaller than the ones started near the Grand Liberty Tower began but was quickly contained. The blasts severely damaged the infrastructure near the Center including the and San Diego Civic Theater. The nearby San Diego City Council building received minor damages from flying debris on its east size. Casualties and initial response First responders arrived to the scenes of the attacks within 5 minutes. Of them include the San Diego Fire Department, San Diego Police Department, and paramedics. The Royal National Guard and Navy quickly arrived, evacuating civilians from and limiting access to the sites. The Bureau of Explosives, Radioactive Weapons, and Firearms (BERWF) was deployed to investigate and control the damage and fire caused by the attacks. Other agencies including the Sierran , Royal Meteorology Service, Air Force, and Army arrived shortly after the attacks to treat victims and organize cleanup. Thousands were rushed to hospitals which were getting overwhelmed with the amount of patients requiring immediate attention. The Royal Crisis Management Agency (RCMA) deployed over 500 workers to the sites and immediately apportioned $800 million towards the relief effort. Hundreds of patients died en route to or at hospitals, suggesting that the number of deaths attributed to the attacks be much higher than the current 2,500 estimate. Many patients were forced to be and others undergoing intensive surgery. Bodies of the dead were identified and then sent to local morgues for temporary storage before being designated a new location. It was reported that the amount of bodies needed to transport and safeguard became so overwhelming, a special task force was created by the City of San Diego specifically to handle the bodies. As a precautionary measure, Laguna Governor Tyson Morales requested the Royal Aviation Safety Administration to restrict airspace around San Diego and all flights in any airports in the San Diego-Tijuana metropolitan area. Police commissioner Ian Davis meanwhile urged citizens to stay away from the streets and avoid going downtown where the attacks occurred. Thousands of businesses were closed and various events to be held in San Diego were cancelled in response to the attacks. The RCMA issued provincial-wide cell phone messages to users through already congested cellphone lines. was activated allowing individuals to enter known information regarding potential victims and missing persons. With many hotels and lodging services closed, tourists were offered shelter in the same schools and centers provided for the attack victims. Investigation The Royal Intelligence Agency (RIA) led the official investigation of the attacks, known as SDBOMB, with Chris Witherspoon acting as the chief investigator in charge. Witherspoon oversaw 1,200 federal, provincial, and local law enforcement personnel including 400 RBI agents, 350 officers from the San Diego Police Department, 200 members of the Laguna National Guard, and 250 agents from the Laguna Bureau of Investigation. The largest investigation force ever amassed in Sierran history, Parliament created the Joint Special Committee on the Investigation of the San Diego Bombings on June 7 to provide additional federal oversight. At 2:33 AM, four individuals (Octavio Sarasota, 35; Adolfo Peña, 41; Oscar Hermida, 27; and Manny Lucero, 33) connected to the bombings were stopped by Tijuana Territorial Highway Patrol officials near in the Sierran territory of Pacífico Norte, some 83 miles south of San Diego. Caught driving over the speeding limit and without headlights on, the stop immediately turned bloody when the individuals began firing at authorities and fleeing by foot. The men were quickly apprehended and interrogated at the local Ensenada Police Department. During the arrest, officials found an unused bag of ammonium nitrate in the men's van, incriminating papers and plans discussing the attacks, forged Sierran documents, and paperwork issued directly by the Mexican government. At 4 AM, one of the men, Octavio Sarasota, admitted to being involved in the attack on the Grand Liberty Tower and confirmed that the two other attacks were all related. He also stated that he was a member of Mexico's intelligence agency, . Further interrogation of the other three revealed that the attacks were deliberately planned by the Mexican government for some months since the Bogota Agreement. The suspects stated that they were all s who were assigned to Sierra since as early as 2006 with the task of engaging in terrorist attacks or assassinations whenever necessary. They also further disclosed that the assassination of president Frank Solomon in December 2014 was funded by Mexico and that the mastermind, Trevor XI, Sierra's Most Wanted Criminal, currently resided in Mexico City with a government position. They however, refused to reveal how the finer details of the attack plans as well as the whereabouts of their colleagues. When asked why the agents produced the answers relatively easily, the agents stated they were wished to die as " s" and the first to die for Mexico's " " of Sierra and Brazoria. Having no qualms being tried, it seemed to conflict with the agents' earlier attempt to escape pursuing authorities. Expressing no regret for the attacks, the agents were then transported to Los Angeles for further interrogation. The Royal Intelligence Agency and local law enforcement received a to search the homes of the four attackers in San Diego, Riverside, and . They also announced the confirmed names of 8 additional suspects (based from paper evidence and telecommunication records), 2 more than originally believed, listed below: *Sebastián Pascual, 31 *Conrado Darío, 34 *Bruno Bolívar, 25 *Emilio Graciano, 25 *Cecilia Ercilia, 29 *Maria Arcelia, 34 *Riley Steckloff, 45 *Ernesto Piedad, 41 Trial The Ministry of Justice stated that the four attackers detained will face trial by July. All four have been by a for , , use of , and malicious destruction of property resulting in death. Reactions Local National (RBS) was among the first media outlets to report news of the attacks ahead of official government response.]] Prime Minister Steven Hong and King Smith II delivered a televised joint statement which addressed the attack four hours after at the Parliament's special emergency session. Stating that although the perpetrators were still unclear, the two vowed to bring justice and punishment to those responsible for the "most egregious, sickening, and harrowing event yet to face this nation". Calling the attacks an act of terrorism, Hong urged Parliament to authorize the Prime Ministry any tools and funding necessary to find the perpetrators as well as to support the city of San Diego and the victims and their families. Hong also issued a state of emergency which Parliament recognized and ordered the next 10 days to be days of national mourning. News of the bombings immediately spread throughout the nation with thousands of citizens expressing their shock and grief with San Diego. Candlelight vigils, prayer sessions, and "mourning circles" sprung nationwide as civilians expressed solidarity. Social media exploded with the hashtag #StandBySanDiego the most mentioned on within 10 minutes of the attack. Sports and entertainment events originally planned that night in San Diego and other cities were cancelled, out of respect for the attacks. The Ministry of Defense upgraded the nation's defense and security readiness system, SNACON from a 3 to 2, indicating a very serious security issue to the country. On June 7 at 8 AM local time, Prime Minister Hong and Brazorian president Eva Gutierrez declared that the Mexican government was responsible for perpetrating the attacks and that overnight, 4 of the 10 known perpetrators were arrested and being interrogated. News of this sent Sierrans demonstrating against the Mexican government, calling for the invasion and liberation of the Mexican people from the Mexican fascist government and punishment to the attackers and the government officials. The San Diego Naval Base, home to Sierra's largest naval fleet, were prepared to mobilize at any time should the attack had been linked to a national government. Following the announcement that the attacks were linked to Mexico, the navy stated that it would be prepared to initiate an operation or blockade against the state should orders be made. At 10 AM, Parliament announced it was once again, extending a joint session between the Senate and House of Commons with the formation of the Joint Select Committee of the Investigation of the San Diego Bombings. A bill officially declaring war on Mexico was introduced by Inland Empire commoner Scott Galloway (R) on the floor at 11 AM. Voting was delayed when a coalition of mostly Libertarians and Democratic-Republicans objected to the rash decision for war, claiming the investigation is still undergoing way and that diplomatic options had not been fully extended. Senator Eric Pipitone (L) did a for 18 hours, preventing the bill from reaching the Senate floor until the government agreed to negotiate with Mexico. Pipitone eventually relinquished his parliamentary act following pressure from the public, demanding justice. The Senate announced it would convene on the issue once more on June 9, taking diplomatic effort into consideration. #StandBySanDiego Mexican response Due to conflicting reports, a government official from the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs initially dismissed the Sierran-Brazorian claim that Mexico was responsible for the attacks, decrying it as "grave witch-hunting" and a dangerous precedent for making "wholly baseless, libelous accusations". However, the Ministry of Defense later applauded the attacks and stated that "loyal patriots" were behind the attacks. By noon, the Office of the Generalissimo, which was now occupied by Jose Rosario Macias (who had staged a coup against his predecessor, Pablo Hidalgo de Veracruz a week earlier), declared that the attacks were supported by the Mexican government although stopped short of actually sponsoring it. Macias claimed the attacks were done without the assistance or foreknowledge of the Mexican government but stated that the attacks were a "voice of the Mexican people" against the Bogota Agreement. The Mexican government had signed the treaty in order to conclude talks of the 2014 invasion of Central America but its signing was poorly received domestically and largely responsible for the deposition of former Generalissimo Pablo Hidalgo de Veracruz. International * Akitsu - Emperor Kaito Kobayakawa condemned the attacks as nothing more than an "act of brazen hostilities towards Sierra". Prime Minister Toru Fujiwara further added that such attacks would not be ignored, and strongly condemned Mexico for any involvement in the attack. He further expressed concern that Mexico may attempt to provide arms to the Motherland Restoration Party, a far-right proto-fascist terrorist organization in Akitsu, and instructed the Office of State Security to look in to any possible connections between Mexico and the Akitian far-right. * - President Eva Gutierrez held a special session of cabinet to discuss the bombings with other high-ranking members of the government, including members of the other branches and the military. President Gutierrez, Minister of State Kathrine Semler, and Ambassador to Sierra Samuel Teeters all left to join with members of the Sierran government in Los Angeles, expressing deep condolences for the people of the country before departing. The Sierran flag was raised alongside the Lone Star flag at the Capitol Building in Austin and the military marching band played both the national and royal anthems of Sierra. Both chambers of the congress expressed unanimous support for the Sierran nation in special sessions held simultaneously, with every member of congress vowing to support Sierra in whatever it required to recover from the devastating bombings. The Armed Forces were raised to their highest alert level immediately, and the National Police were put on special alert for any suspected acts of terrorism across the country. Huge vigils were held at the Embassy and Consulates of Sierra across the nation, and in cities with no such institutions, massive rallies were held in support of the Sierran people. Across the country, more than 100,000 people gathered to show their support for Sierra. On social media, Brazorians expressed their sympathy with victims of the bombing and Sierrans in general, with the hashtag "#BrazoriaLovesYouSierra" trending in less than thirty minutes after the bombings were confirmed within Brazorian media. * - The British government heavily condemned the attacks, and promised to provide humanitarian support to Sierra. Prime Minister Erica Victor has stated that the British government will increase its own anti-terrorism laws, and has called for the world to help and support the Sierran government. However Victor did reserve some criticism for the Sierran government stating that they should have not given into Mexico and its ally Argentina at Bogotá then the attack would have been "much less likely to happen", and advises the Sierran government to come to a diplomatic agreement with Mexico. Some protests were staged in London by the group calling for the Britannian government to also take more action against Mexico and support Sierra. * Turkey - The Turkish government has heavily criticised the attacks, calling them "barbaric acts against the people by the fascists and reactionary bourgeois". The Turkish press office also condemned the Sierran government for having lax security, saying that "the West can hardly criticise nations such as Cuba or Iran over terrorism when they themselves cannot stop open attacks performed by their neighbour". The Turkish government have also suggested the bombing is part of a false flag operation as a pretext to invade Mexico, drawing parallels with , a proposed operation made by the US against Cuba. * Morochan People's Republic - Mikel Taşbur condemned the attacks as "unholy, illegal, immoral, unlawful and disgusting" and said that it will provide humanitarian support "for all the people who lived there: Black, Asian or white; Jew or Gentile; and American or Sierran". Foreign Minister Georgi G. Halşu said that the attack was revenge by Mexico for the Bogota Agreement and the fact that the ultranationalists were "continuing the Veracruzist traditions of imperialism, killing, and ultra-conservative 'jihad'" that has plagued the nation already since Veracruz was in power, albeit with even "more hate". He even went as far to compare the ultranationalists to Mid-Eastern terror groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS, and repressive governments like Hitler's Germany. The Embassy of Morocha's flag flown at half mast after the attacks. * - President Oleh Tyahnybok issued a statement in which he condemned the support of the Mexican government for those who committed the attacks. He said that Ukraine is dealing with its own, similar conflict and sympathizes with Sierra. The Ukrainian ambassador to Sierra, Vasyl Mishchenko, had the flag at the Embassy of Ukraine flown at half mast after the attacks occurred. * Wabash - Albanactus opened a special session with the Senate on the events that transpired in San Diego. Detailing in speech concerning the attack, and on the manner that information had been complied proving that Mexico did conspire in some manner; "Shall we allow the to set its claws into the soil of Sierra, we shall surely feel it along the banks of the ." Fears of alerted the governments defense forces and created a sticky situation for the reforming departments; to mobilize a military that isn't fully capable due to lack of leadership in its lower commands, or to abandon their allies. The Chief Superior of the State gave his condolences to the Sierran Prime Minister and offered his full support if a occurred, stating he would "...lead the forces myself into ." Senators will deliberate on the possibility of declaring war soon. * Westland - The Westlandic Government released a statement on June the 7th expressing its sincere condolences to the families of the deceased and the Sierran people. The Chancellor described the bombing as an 'unjustified and heinous crime against innocent civilians' in a press release later the same day, he also stated that he would 'not be surprised' if Mexico's ultra-nationalist Veracruzist government was behind the attack. See also *2014 Sierra coup d'état attempt *La Paz incident